A structured, self-paced path from beginner to job-ready, built entirely from free resources.
Module 1: Introduction to Power BI
1.1 What Power BI Is and How It Fits Together
Covers the Power BI ecosystem — Power BI Desktop, Power BI Service, Power BI Mobile, and the Report Builder — and where each fits in a typical workflow from data to published dashboard.
1.2 Installing Power BI Desktop and Setting Up Your Workspace
Step-by-step install of the free Power BI Desktop application, account setup, and a first look at the interface before opening any data.
Setting Up Your Workspace
Module 2: The Power BI Desktop Interface
2.1 Ribbon, Panes, and the Three Views (Report, Data, Model)
A guided tour of the Home ribbon, Fields pane, Visualizations pane, Filters pane, and how to switch between Report view, Data view, and Model view.
Module 3: Connecting to Data Sources
3.1 Importing Data from Excel, CSV, and Web Sources
How to use Get Data to bring in Excel workbooks, CSV/text files, and web pages, plus the difference between Import and DirectQuery connection modes.
3.2 Connecting to Databases (SQL Server, etc.)
Connecting Power BI to relational databases, entering credentials, and choosing between importing tables or writing a native SQL query.
Module 4: Data Transformation with Power Query
4.1 Power Query Editor Basics
Opening the Power Query Editor, understanding the Applied Steps pane, and performing common cleanup tasks like renaming columns, changing data types, and removing errors.
4.2 Merging and Appending Queries
The difference between Merge (joining tables side by side, like a VLOOKUP/JOIN) and Append (stacking tables on top of each other), with practical examples.
Module 5: Data Modeling
5.1 Creating Relationships Between Tables
How to build and edit relationships in Model view, understanding cardinality (one-to-many, many-to-many) and cross-filter direction.
5.2 Star Schema and Modeling Best Practices
Why a star schema (fact tables surrounded by dimension tables) performs better and is easier to maintain than a single flat table.
Module 6: DAX Fundamentals
6.1 Introduction to DAX Syntax
The building blocks of DAX (Data Analysis Expressions) — functions, operators, and syntax rules — and how DAX differs from Excel formulas.
6.2 Calculated Columns vs. Measures
When to use a calculated column versus a measure, how each is evaluated (row context vs. filter context), and performance implications.
Module 7: Advanced DAX
7.1 Time Intelligence Functions
Using functions like TOTALYTD, SAMEPERIODLASTYEAR, and DATEADD to build year-over-year, month-to-date, and rolling-period comparisons, with a proper date table.
7.2 CALCULATE and Filter Context
A deep dive into the CALCULATE function — the most important function in DAX — and how it modifies filter context to build flexible, reusable measures.
Filter Context
For interview preparation, also check out our Power BI Interview Questions and Answers (2026 Guide) and Power BI DAX Interview Questions and Answers 2026.
Module 8: Data Visualization
8.1 Creating Charts and Core Visuals
Building bar charts, line charts, cards, tables, and matrices, and formatting them for clarity using the Format pane.
8.2 Custom Visuals from AppSource
How to import additional visuals (such as advanced maps, gauges, or chart types) from Microsoft AppSource to extend the default visual library.
Module 9: Building Interactive Reports
9.1 Slicers, Filters, and Bookmarks
Adding slicers and filters so users can explore data themselves, plus using bookmarks to save specific report states for guided navigation.
Filters in power bi
Bookmarks in power bi
9.2 Drill-Through and Tooltips
Setting up drill-through pages so users can right-click a data point to see detail, and building custom report-page tooltips.
Tooltips in power bi
Module 10: Power BI Service (Publishing & Sharing)
10.1 Publishing Reports to the Power BI Service
Publishing a .pbix file from Desktop to app.powerbi.com, understanding workspaces, and setting up scheduled refresh for imported data.
10.2 Building Dashboards and Sharing with Others
Pinning report visuals to a dashboard, sharing dashboards and apps with colleagues, and setting basic access permissions.
Module 11: Row-Level Security (RLS)
11.1 Implementing Row-Level Security
Creating security roles that restrict which rows of data each user can see, both statically and dynamically based on the logged-in user.
Module 12: Certification Prep (PL-300)
12.1 PL-300 Exam Overview and Study Plan
What the Microsoft PL-300 (Power BI Data Analyst) certification covers, how the free skills learned in this course map to the exam objectives, and how to plan your study.
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For interview preparation, also check out our Power BI DAX Interview Questions and Answers 2026 and Power Query Interview Questions and Answers
